Damariye's Dissertation Defense

Join us as we witness Damariye L. Smith defend his dissertation "THE ANATOMY OF THE COMMENCEMENT SPEECH: AN EXAMINATION OF BARACK OBAMA’S RHETORIC DELIVERED AT HBCUs."

Abstract:

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been a central institution to the sociopolitical progress of the Black community towards freedom and liberation. Despite the centrality of HBCUs within Black upward mobility, limited attention has been paid to the discourses that take place at these sites by rhetorical scholars. Equally important, rhetorical interventions on the rhetoric of the nation’s first Black President, Barack H. Obama, at HBCUs have also been overlooked. Thus, the purpose of this dissertation is to determine the rhetorical construction of HBCU commencement rhetoric and Obama’s rhetorical invention. To approach these inquiries, I conduct a rhetorical analysis of Obama’s HBCU commencement speeches at Hampton University, Morehouse College, and Howard University during his presidency. More specifically, I employ a conceptual mixture of genre criticism, Afrocentric methodology, and a close reading to interrogate Obama’s commencement speeches. I contend that studying the rhetorical construction of HBCU commencement rhetoric and Obama’s rhetorical invention will provide pathways forward for administrators and academic practitioners, particularly at PWIs, to support Black student retention and graduation rates and other issues related to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI). Next, this project will highlight more insights into Black “communal exigencies” that deal with values, meaning and understanding, identity, and authority. Lastly, this project helps us understand not only Obama but also other Black politicians in their role in helping the Black community achieve liberation in this country.

Keywords: Commencement rhetoric, HBCU rhetoric, Obama Studies, African American rhetoric, Afrocentricity